Apparatus for the manufacture of sheet-glass.



No. 832,860. PATENTED OCT. 9, 1906'.

- H. K. HITGHGOOK. APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SHEET GLASS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG: 28, 1905.

5 SHEETS-SHEET l WITNESSES:

PATENTED OCT. 9, 1906.

H. K. HITOHOOGK. APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SHEET GLASS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 23, 1905.

5 sums-91mm 2.

g C%wEN:oiL

PATENTED OCT. 9, 1906.

' H. K. HITGHCOOK. V APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SHEET GLASS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG- 23,1905.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3- v FIGEIQ INVENTOR PATENTED OCT. 9, 1906.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

H. K. HITCHGOGK. APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SHEET GLASS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 23, 1905.

m o m-m il WITNESSES:

PATENTED OCT. 9, 1906.

H. K. HITGHGOOK. APPARATUS FOR THE. MANUFACTURE OF SHEET GLASS.

APPLIUATION FILED AUG. 23. 1905.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

FIGS

urn-Misses: a WM w x ,'4 NVENTOR @zri Atty's UNITED STATAESTPAEENT OFFICE.

HALBERT K. HITCHCOCK. OF TARENTUM, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, AND CHARLES W. BROWN, TRUSTEE, OF PITTSBURG, PENN- SYLVANIA.

APPARATUS oRTHE MANUFACTURE OF SHEET-GLASS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 9, 1906.

Application filed Angust 23, 1905. Serial No. 275.463.

The invention described herein relates to.

certain improvements in apparatus for form: ing sheets of glass in the manner described in application Serial No. 275,462, filed August 23, 1905, and has for its ob'ect a construction of apparatus whereby 't e glass may be drawn continuously through a slotfrom a suitable receptacle into a roperly-heated chamber, cut off into desired engths, and automatically transferred to an annealing-kiln or runway.

' The invention is hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a partof this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved ap aratus, Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation o the drawing mechanism on a line indicated by the line II II, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation on the line III III, '2. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the upper part of the -mechanism of the side opposite that shown inFig. 1. 'Fig. 5 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale, the

lane of section being indicated by the line ITV, Fig. 2. Fi .6 is a view, partly in section and partly in p an, showing the glass-receptacle and slot mechanism. Figs. 7 8, and 9 are detailed views illustrating the cutting ap aratus. Figs. 10 and 11 are sectional detaiIed views showing the construction of rolls em 10 ed in applying tension to the sheets. 11 t e practice of my invention it is preferred to arrange the slot and its connections, to be hereinafter described, outside of the furnace or rece tacle 1, in which the glass is melted or'a su cient supply retained. As shown in Fig. 6, a s out 2 extends from the receptacle or cham er 1, referably increas-' ing in width gradually to t e point where the slot is located. Provision is made for'regus lating the tem eratur of the channel or spout and the g ass flowing along same by means of burners 2, discharging into combustion-chambers 2 under the spout or channel. These combustion-chambers are connected to a chamber 19,fromwhich the products of combustion, &c., fiow back through the channel or spout into and through the receptacle 1. A series of vertical assa es 2 along each side of the spout or cilanne also connect with the chambers 2 and by closing ,more or less of these vertical passages the temperature of the glass can be regulated as required.

- While any suitable means maybe employed for preventing the flow of lass through the spout or channel, it is, re erred to employ a float 3, which can be s ifted so as to cover the entrance to the spout or channel, as shown in Fig. 6, when it is desired to prevent a flow of glass to the'slot.

As shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 6, the slot mechanism 4 is formed'of metal protected,

' as regards the 'ortion rojecting down into the spout or c annel, yfire-clay or other suitable material. ,The orifice 5, throu h which the glass is fed, is formed along t e lower side of the slot mechanism, and chan nels 6 are preferably formed outside of the Wall of the slot 5, so as to form coolingsur faces whereby the temperature of the walls of the slot may be re ulated. A blast-nozzle 7 is arranged in suc relation to the shell 4 'as to direct a temperature-regulating medium, such as hot or cold air, down into the channelsfi, surrounding the slot, such nozzle being connected to any suitable source of supply. This shell 4 extends down into the spout or channel 2 a sufficient distance to insure the formation of a sufiicient head of glass to cause the latter to flow up into and, if desired, through the slot. The shell 4 is supported in a frame 9, 1 rovided with rollers 10, adapted to move a ong tracks 11 on the frames 12. These frames are su ported by lever 13, pivotally-connected to t e frames, said levers being ivoted, as indicated at a. Theouter ends 0 f thelevers are provided with blocks 16, pivotally connected to the levers and adapted to slide up and down threaded rods 15, pivotally mounted on a suitable support. hand-wheel 14 will serve as a sto toreg ulate the depth of immersion of the ower end of the shell 4 into the spout or channel.v The A nut provided with aframe 9 can be secured in operative position and leveled, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 6, on the frame 12 by any suitable 1neanssuch, for example, as by threaded bolts 17', passing through lugs on the frames and through the side pieces on thetruck-frame 9, the latter being clamped to the bolt by means of nuts 18, as shown in' Fig. 1. When it is desired to shift the shell or slot mechanism 4 out of operati've position and into position over a chamber 19, the truck-frame is released by unscrewing the nuts 18, and fluid-pressure is admitted into the cylinder of the fluid-pressure mechanism 20, the movable member of which bears against the levers 13. By the o eration of these fluid-pressure mechanisms t e frames 12 and the truck carried thereby are raised to such ii-height that the lower end of the shell 4 will pass over the edge of the spout or channel 2, as shown in Fig. 3. The truck is then moved along the track of the frame 12, carrying with it the shell or slot mechanism 4, and the cover formerly covering the chamber 19 is shifted to the right in Fig. 3 to the position occupied by the shell or slot mechanism 4, which 1s then lowered by.

permitting the escape of air from the fluidpressure mechanisms 20 until the shell 4 will project down into the chamber 19. To facilitate the shifting of the cover 21, it is perferred to mount it on links 22, which will per- Init the cover to be swung from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that occupied by theshell 4 in said figure. Provision is made for the melting out of anv glass adherin to the shell slot mechanismw 'le in position in the chamber 19 by means 01 a gas-burner 23, discharging into the combustion-chamber, said passage bein normally closed by a stop er 2%,

supporte by a lever 25, which can e Inani ulated from the outside of the structure.

he glass as it is forced throu h the slot is drawn upward into a cham er 26 by means of a series of rollers arranged in said chamber. As shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the side walls of this chamber for a portion of their length are proyided withpassa es 27, which connect with a transverse cham er 28, havingairsuppl pipe 29, leading to a blower 29. Gasurners 30 are arranged in the chamber 28, so as to deliver products of combustion into the side chambers 27, air for combustion entering through the pipe 29. It is referred to regulate the flow of air to the chambers 27 by means of valves 31, as shown in Fig. 5. These side chambers 27 are provided with ports 32 for admitting heated air into the main chamber 26, said ports being controlled by valves 33. A suitable number of pairs of rollers suitably driven and held yieldingly against opposite sidesof the sheet are arranged within the chamber. Four pairs are shown, but a larger number of pairs may be employed. In order to provide ior inequalities or irregularities in the surface of the glass, the rollers are preferably made flexible as regards their outer perimeters. A desirable construction to this end is shown in Figs..5, 10, and 11. Supporting-shafts 34 pass through the walls of the chamber 26, the outer ends of said shafts being made round, while the inner portions are preferably rectangular, as shown in Figs. 10 .and 11. Disks 35 are loosely mounted on the round portions of the shafts at the ends of the square portion, as shown in Fig. 5, and around these disks are arranged rings 36, friction-rollers being interposed between the rings and disks, so that the former may move freely and easily onthe disks. The-rings 36 are driven from disks 37 on the tubular shafts 38, surrounding the round portions at one end of the supporting-shafts 34. These tubular shafts 38 are mounted in suitable bearings 39 and are driven by the worm-shaft 40 through the medium of worm-wheels 41, which are yieldingly connected to the tubular shafts. A suitable construction to this end consists of bands42, surrounding collars on the tubular shafts and adapted to be drawn into frictional enga ement with such collars by means of bots 43, passing through lugs on the bands and lugs 44 on the Worm-wheels 41, said lugs projecting between the lugs on the bands. As shown in Fig. 5, sprin are interposed between the nuts on the bots 43 and the lugs on the bands, so'that in case of undue resistance on the parts of the rollers driven by the shaft 38 the bands may slip on their col ars and prevent any in'ury to the mechanism or material operated on. The intermediate rings 45, forming the rollers, are mounted on collars 46, preferably formed in sections, as shown in Fig. 5, friction-rollers being inter osed between the rings and the collars. T e rings45 are driven from the end collar 36 by means of pins 47,connecting the series of rings with each other and the and ring with the driving-collar 36. The pins 47 are secured to one of the rings andproject between lugs on the adjacent sections, thus permitting one section to move transversely of its axis of rotation without breaking the driving connection with adjacent sections. The collars 46 of adjacent roll-sections are sup ported on ivot-pins or trunnions 48 on the swinging ames 49, which are pivotally mounted on the square portions of the supporting'shaft 34. By this construction one section of the rollers will move in when a portion of the glass thinner than the other ortions asses between said sections. en a swel or enlargement passes between opposing sections or rings, said sections will move outwardly, and as the other sections or rings connected to the same frames cannot move inwardly as they bear on the glass the shafts 34 will be forced apart at one end. Thus the several sections of the roller and the-roller can automatically adjust themselvesdzo inequalities of surface. While these rollers may be caused to yieldingly bear against means, it is preferred to employ the construc tion shown in Fig. 1 for that purpose, so as to insure equal movement of both members of a pair.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 5, pi'votally-mounted arms 50 have one end connected to the shafts 34, while the oppositeends are adapted to be shifted relatively to eachother by springs 51. These arms are connected by cross-bars 52 and 53, forming a toggle con nection, so'that any movement imparted to one member of a'pair of rollers wil be also imparted .to the other air, and such movements will be equal l y the action of these rollers a tension is applied to the glass as it is fed through the slot of the shell 4 relative to the rate of feed through said slot to reduce the sheet to the desired thickness. The sheet is fed by these rollers through the heated chamber into a chamber 54, which forms a connection between the heated chamber 26 and the runway 55, which is provided with any suitable form or construction ofmechanism, preferably that shown and described in Letters Patent No. 805,070, dated Novem'- ber 21, 1905. The glass is fed by the rollers in the heated chamber up along and in con tact with rollers 56, mounted on ya swinging frame 57 in the chamber 54, and the glass is held in contact with said rollers by means of a pivotally-mounted roller 58, carried by a bracket secured to the frame 57. roller 58 or the one on the frame inline therewith is provided with a pawl-and-ratchet de vice permitting'the roller to rotate in the direction of the movement of the glass, but preventing any reverse. rotation ,thereby preventing any dropping down of the glass'aft'er it has been severed from the main body. It is preferred that this frame 57, with its rollers, should be counterbalanced by a weight 60, as shown in Fig. 1. After the glass has been severed, .as will be hereinafter described, the

shaft 61, which forms a pivotal support for the frame 57, islrotated, thereby turning the frame down to the position shown by dotted lines in Figl 3, thus bringing one or more of the'rollers 56 into frictional engagement with the positively-driven drum 62 By the rotation of the 'rollers 56 the section of glass carried down by the frame 57 will be shifted into line with the mechanism employed for moving the glass through the runway 55. The rotation'of the shaft 61 can be effected by any-suitable meanssuch,-for example, as a rack and pinion 63, (shown'in Fig. 2,) the rack being reciprocated by means of a grooved cam 64 on the shaft65.

Either the other constructions .may be used, if desired. This preferred construction consists of a frame 67, arranged at an angle to the direcopposite sides of the sheet by any suitable tion of movement of the glass, as shown in Figs. 2, 7, 8, and 9. One member or plate of this frame serves as a support for the glass when operated on-by the cutter, which is caused to traverse the sheet without interrupting the movement of the latter. A- carriage or slide 68 is movably mounted on a rod 7 69, secured in the frame '67, and to'this slide are pivotally attached arms 70, connected by links 71. To one of these links or an exten- -sion thereof is secured the cutting-tool 72. The slide 68 is adapted to be shiftedb suitable mechanism after a predetermined length of glass has passed beyond the position occupied by the frame 67. The movement of the slide in the direction to cut the glass is effected by means of a lever 73., connected by a cord to the slide. This lever is shifted by an arm 74, carried by the shaft 65. 7 As the'slide 68 moves to the right or in the direction for cutting, the cutter 72 is supported'out of contact with the glass. until it passes within the ed e of glass sheet by guide 74, on which a rol er 74, carried by the arms 70, will move, said guide extending, as shown in igs. 7 and 8, beyond the edge of the sheet. As shown in Fig. 7, the upper arm is provided with an angular extension, to which the. cord connected to the lever 73 is attached, so that the pull required to shift the cutting device will also tend to press the cutting-tool against the surface of the glass during its movement across the same. As the slide 68 reaches the limit will strike against an adjustable-stop 76,

thereby shifting said plate to the left and causing a projection thereon to pass under a roller 77, carried by the arm 70, and lift the cutter out of contact with the glass. The return movement of the slide 68, with the cutjter, is effected by means of a weight 78,0011- nected to the carria e by a cord passing over a pulley '79. As t e slide approaches the limit ofits movement to the left the plate 75 will strike against a wall or abutment and be shifted to the right,s'o that the arm 70 will be free to drop :ormove inward; but prior to this shift' of the plate 75 the other roller carried .by t e arm 70 will have passed up onthe guide-surface 74,. and thus prevent an inward movement of the cutter until the slide has again moved a short distance to the right, shiftin the cutter within the edge of the glass. T e frame 67 is arranged at such an angle to the direction of movement of the glass thatwhile the cutter is moving across the sheet it will also move in the same direction as the sheet and at-the same rate. Hence the line of cut will be straight across the sheet. a

I claim herein as my invention- 1'. In an apparatus for the manufacture of sheet-glass, the combination of a glass-containing receptacle, .a discharge slot or opening having peri herall continuous outwardly-flaring wa ls, an means for adjust-- ing the slot relative to the height of' glass in the receptacle. 2. In an apparatus for the manufacture of sheet-glass, the combination of a glass-containing receptacle, a slot or orifice having peripherally continuous outwardly flaring walls, means for adjusting the slot relative to the height of glass in the receptacle, and means for securing it in its adjusted position. 3. Inan' apparatus for the manufacture of sheet-glass, the combination of a glass-containing receptacle, a shell having a slot or orifice, a vertically-movable frame carryin the shell, and means for shifting the shel along the frame.

4; In an apparatus for manufacturing glass sheets, the combination of a glass-containing chamber, a channel or spout extending therefrom, and a float controlling the flow of glass into the spout or channel.

5. In an apparatus for manufacturing glass sheets, the combination of a glass-containing chamber, a spout or channel extending therefrom, means for regulating the tem' perature of glass in the s out orchannel, t.

shell having a slot or ori cc, and means for shifting the she-ll.

6. In an a paratus for manufacturing glass sheets, t e combination of a movable shell having a slot or orifice connected to a glass-containing receptacle, and means for melting glass adhering to the walls of the 7. In an apparatus for manufacturing glass sheets, the combination of a glasscontaining" receptacle, a chamber, a shell havinga slot-or orifice, means for moving the shell from position relative to the receptacle to position relative .to the chamber, and means for generating a melting temperature in the chamber.

8. In an apparatus for manufacturing glass sheets, the combination of a glass-con- I taining receptacle, a shell having a slot or 5 orifice, means for adjustin the shell relative to the height of glass in t e receptacle, and means for drawin the glass away fromthe slot at a rate equa to the flow of glass therethrough. 9. n an apparatus for the manufacture of glass sheets, the combination of means for feeding glass through a shaping slot or orifice, mechanism for drawing glass away from the slot, and means for adjusting the drawing so as to maintain the mean axis of the sheet in or approximately in the-same plane regardless of variations in thickness.

' 10. In an apparatus for manufacturing glass sheets, the combination of means for feeding glass through a shaping orifice, and one or more pairs of driven roll-s constructed to yield in lanes at right angles -to their axes Without istorting their peripheries and without shifting their axes of rotation.

11. In an apparatus for manufacturing ceding glass through a sha ing slot or orifice, and one or more pairs of riven rollers cone sisting of sections movabletransverse of the axes of rotation.

12. In an apparatus for manufacturing lass sheets, the combination of means for ceding glass through a shaping slot or orifice, one or more airs of driven rollers consisting of a series 0 transversely-movable sections and equalizing levers or members connected to adjacent sections and to the shafts of the rollers. Y

13-. In an apparatus for manufacturing lass sheets, the combination of means for eedingglass through a shaping slot or orifice, one or more pairs of driven rollers consisting of transversely-movable sections, and driving connections between adjacent sections.

14. In an apparatus for manufacturing lass sheets, the combination of means for eeding glass through a shaping-slot or orifice, one or more pairs of rollers, means for rotating said rollers, and connections from the driving mechanism to the rollers having a torsional strength less than the frictional bite of the rollers on the sheet. 15. In an apparatus for manufacturing las's sheets, the combination of means for eeding glass through a shaping slot or orifice,

ing the rollers, and a frictional connection from the driving means to the rollers and frictional bite of the rollers on the sheet.

16. In an apparatus for manufacturing glass sheets, the combination of means for feeding glass through a shaping slot or orifice, one or more pairs of driven rollers movably mounted and means for impartin a similar andequal movement to one rol er on the movement of the other roller.

17. In an apparatus for manufacturing glass qsheets, thecombination of means for "feeding glass through a shaping slot or orifice, -means for drawing the glass away from the thickness, a cutter, and means for moving the cutter transverse of the direction of movement of the sheet and in the direction of movement of the sheet and at the same rate. 18. In an apparatus for manufacturing lass sheets, the combination of means for iaeding glass through a shaping slot or orifice,

' means for drawing the glass vertically from the slot or orifice, means for cutting the glass, a horizontally-arranged runway and a glass sheets, the combination of means for having a torsional strength less than the .slotor orifice, and reducing it to the desiredone'or more pairs of rollers, means for rotatpivotally-mounted frame for receiving the severed sections and having means for deliv- I operative position to position in operative ering them to the runway. v relation to-the glass-melting means. I0 19. In an apparatus for manufacturing In testimony whereof I have hereunto set glass sheets the combination of a movable my hand.

shell having a slot or orifice connected to a HALBERT K. HITCHCOCK.

glass-containing receptacle, means for melt-v Witnesses:

mg glass adhering to the walls of the slot or BAYARD H. CHRIsTY,

orifice and means for shifting the shell from CHARLES BARNETT.

It is hereby certified that Letters Patent No. 832,860, issued October 9, 1906, upon the application of Halbert K. Hitchcock, of Tarentum, Pennsylvania, for an improvement in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Sheet-Glass, was erroneously granted to Halbert K. Hitchcockfhis: heirs or assigns, and Charles V. Brown, as Trustee, his

successors or assigns, whereas said Letters Patent should have been granted to said rHalbert K Hitchcock and Charles lV. Brown, as Trustees, their successors or assigns; and that the said Letters Patent should be'read with. this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 30th day of October, A. D., 1906.

i F. I. ALLEN,

Commissioner of Patents.

[SEAL] severed sections and having means for deliv- I operative position to position in operative ering them to the runway. v relation to-the glass-melting means. I0 19. In an apparatus for manufacturing In testimony whereof I have hereunto set glass sheets the combination of a movable my hand.

shell having a slot or orifice connected to a HALBERT K. HITCHCOCK.

glass-containing receptacle, means for melt-v Witnesses:

mg glass adhering to the walls of the slot or BAYARD H. CHRIsTY,

orifice and means for shifting the shell from CHARLES BARNETT.

It is hereby certified that Letters Patent No. 832,860, issued October 9, 1906, upon the application of Halbert K. Hitchcock, of Tarentum, Pennsylvania, for an improvement in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Sheet-Glass, was erroneously granted to Halbert K. Hitchcockfhis: heirs or assigns, and Charles V. Brown, as Trustee, his

successors or assigns, whereas said Letters Patent should have been granted to said rHalbert K Hitchcock and Charles lV. Brown, as Trustees, their successors or assigns; and that the said Letters Patent should be'read with. this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 30th day of October, A. D., 1906.

i F. I. ALLEN,

Commissioner of Patents.

[SEAL] uurrecuorl In LBIIBIS r'atent No. 832 860.

It is hereby certified that; Letters Patent No. 832,880, issued October 9, 1906, upon the application of Halbert K. Hitchcock, of Tareutum, Pennsylvania, for an improvement in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Sheet-Glass, was erroneously granted to Halbert K Hitchcock, his heirs or assigns, and Charles 7. Brown, as Trustee, his

I successors or assigns, whereas said Letters Patent should have been granted to said J Halbert K Hitchcock and Charles W. Brown, as Trustees, their successors or assigns; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of mo case in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 30th day of October. A. D., 1306.

[SEAL] F. I. ALLEN,

Commissioner of Patents. 

